I guess with all things in life, “you know when you know,” right? 

As I walked into Tekik de Regil after viewing a handful of properties in Mérida, my heart skipped a beat and a feeling of comfort, relief and joy came over me. “This one’s a contender,” my fiancé said as we both walked through the palatial hallways in awe at the hand painted ceilings, crumbling walls and old, regal charm. My mom, reluctant at first at the thought of doing a destination wedding, gasped as she set foot inside the church. In that moment, all three of us knew… 

Blouse: (c/o) Mi Golondrina Skirt: Johanna Ortiz Belt: Johanna Ortiz Earrings: Oscar de la Renta Sandals: Miista

But before we get into why we’re doing a destination wedding in Mexico (and not Palm Beach or Miami), let’s talk about the first few properties we visited and why we scratched them off the list. 

The first property we visited was an old henequen factory-turned-hacienda called Yaxcopoil. Dating back to the 17th century, this hacienda is a Spanish colonial goldmine. It’s considered to be one of the most important haciendas in the Yucatan and contains original furniture, artwork and books. Everything from million dollar weddings to movies have been shot at Yaxcopoil. PROS: it’s beautiful, but you need to have a vision to execute what you want because there aren’t many resources nearby. CONS: Although very affordable, Yaxcopoil is very rural and stylistically 

The second property we visited was part of the Luxury Collection called Hacienda San Jose. Our favorite hacienda from the collection was Hacienda Uayamon, but looking back it’s way too far for our guests (2 hours from Mérida) so we nixed it all together. We considered San Jose because it’s part of Marriott (a name we know and trust) and a fully functioning hotel with all amenities. PROS: has a few spots, including a row of palm trees and old archway, that would make for incredible backdrops to photos. CONS: a little too far away for our guests.

The third property we saw was on my Pinterest board, Hacienda Sac Chich. When pinning images to my mood board, I felt this property was the one, however upon arrival, I learned it was too small for our wedding party (between 125-150) guests. While there are other locations near the property that can host larger parties, the little spot pinned on my Pinterest board can’t, so we said no. PROS: Family members can stay on property with you during the wedding; perfect for intimate weddings. CONS: Cannot host wedding reception larger than 75 guests in the courtyard, which in my opinion, is the best spot. It also does not have a church. 

The last property we visited was Hacienda Tekik de Regil. This hacienda is next level gorgeous and perfect for unique weddings. It’s also one of the few haciendas that still has original buildings from the 16th century, which is my jam. It has a main house (where most of the wedding receptions take place), a chapel (where you can have symbolic weddings; you must be married prior to having a wedding here), two swimming pools, ample guest bathrooms and two suites. PROS: it’s stunning, large (can host up to 1000 guests) and unique. CONS: it’s 40 minutes outside of Mérida and may require you to charter out-of-town guests. 

So, which one did we go with? 

It was a tough decision, but we went with…

 Hacienda Tekik de Regil! 

Why Mexico? 

Mérida was the first city we traveled to as a couple. We were less than one year in and madly in love. After my fiancé’s family left Cuba, they moved to Mexico for 10+ years. And I personally visited Mexico quite often having grown up in Texas – so let’s just say Mexico is a special place to us and one we cannot wait to share with our closest family and friends… 

Xo, Stephanie

P.S.: I shot this entire trip on my iPhone and knowing how crazy I am about producing high quality content, it was incredibly refreshing and freeing! It may seem like a small feat to those reading but for me, it’s HUGE. Hope you enjoyed…